November came by and so did the much anticipated Sansui Summer Cup. The events main focus was initially horses and betting but over years, the fashion and entertainment give us a well rounded event that we look forward to every year. This years event hosted a Carnival theme and kids were allowed to attend. This is one of few races that offer a whole family experience.
A disappointment this year, which was beyond the team’s control, was the weather. I woke up to gloomy weather and I wondered how I would enjoy the event with such weather, especially with the short, bright dress I planned to wear to the event. We (my sister and I) changed to outfit D (after trying outfit B and C); a warmer more comfortable outfit and hoped to still “fit in” with the theme. We nonetheless honored our invitation and went to the event.
The Mood and Tone
Compared to the pictures and videos I saw from the previous year, the decoration was more or less the same. I was more than happy to get a few snaps with the gorgeous background but I wasn’t sure how this would work in terms of the branding. Repeat offending in such a short space of time doesn’t always work because you can’t measure the growth should you propose for new sponsors. I nonetheless loved the flower theme throughout the space.
The marques
The biggest crowd pullers for racecourse events are the marques. This part caters for different tastes and different crowds.
The marquee that seemed to have brought the celebs to the event was Sashi’s Secret Garden; she hosted her friends in a section next to the Summer Garden and bottles of champagne were popping from every direction. Not sure if Micasa performed any marquee but as we arrived, they were stepping out of this marquee, leaving the space. I hear we missed out on an awesome performance from the trio group and their band.
We mostly chilled at two other marques; the one was by the end of the race course, The FunMasters SA Vanity Fair Amplified Tent. This marque hosted live bands and comedy. Those who enjoy house music or kwaito would’ve loved this one. The second was the Summer Cup Picnic marque. I enjoyed this marquee because of the crowd and where it was situated. The music played was a mixture of deep, tribal house, indie and lofi and it hosted people who were more about a good time than they were about the glitz and glam.
The other marquees at the Sansui Cup included the Bollywood Mela tent which hosted all things Indian; cuisine, music, glamour and live music. The Shebeen 55, hosted an old skool theme with African cuisine snacks and vintage cars and fashion displays. Then there was another star studded marque on the other end of the racehorse, that part of the world looked like a VIP club for the super cool kids. After viewing this marquee I had seen and experienced enough for the day.
Highlight of the Day
My personal favourite treat of the day was the Carnival area also known as the kids entertainment area. My sister and I let our hair down, and went on one of the rides that were still open around 8pm. This was an unexpected treat for me, away from the glam and selfies. I probably appreciated this one because my outfit allowed for it.
It seems 2017 was a rough year for big events to get sponsors. Almost all events I’ve been to this year seemed to struggle to reach the standards they set in the previous years. The last time I went to the Sansui Summer Cup was in 2014; back then it was somewhat the talk of the town with a lot of hype around it. Even the Sansui Cup page was alive and buzzing. MTV Base was one of the sponsors, so the entertainment was much anticipated. Not sure what the deal was this year, but those were my highlights this year.
Overall, I can’t wait to see what else the Sansui Cup team can offer; it’s either my expectations were too high or there just wasn’t much to it this year. Let’s hope next year, it’ll rain sponsors…
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